The Holy Spirit transforms a believer by convicting of sin, indwelling the believer, becoming the believer's inward guide and power for godly living, and ultimately giving life to the mortal body.
Les Feldick teaches that the Spirit's work begins when He convinces a person that he is a sinner in need of the gospel. After faith, the Holy Spirit dwells in the believer, making him a new person and serving as his law for daily living. This transformation is not accomplished by works; the Spirit Himself changes the believer into what he is meant to be.
Romans 8:9 — Directly shows that the indwelling Holy Spirit is the distinguishing mark of a believer and proves that the believer belongs to Christ.
Romans 12:2 — The central verse on the believer's transformation, calling for a renewing of the mind rather than conformity to the world.
Romans 8:11 — Promises that the same Spirit who raised Jesus will also make alive the believer's mortal body.
The Bible identifies the Holy Spirit as the decisive presence in the believer's life. Romans 8:9 says, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Romans 8:11 promises, "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Romans 12:2 commands, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." And Romans 3:23 declares, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
Les Feldick teaches that the Holy Spirit contributes to a believer's transformation from the very beginning. The Spirit moves upon people, convicting them by the Law and showing them that their root problem is not merely what they do but who they are — sons of Adam with a sin-bent nature. The first step of faith is agreeing with what God says: that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. After a person believes, the Holy Spirit dwells within him. Les explains that if the Spirit of God does not dwell in you, you are none of His. This indwelling Spirit becomes the believer's law and guideline for Christian living — not a set of rules and regulations, but His influence and power. The Spirit gives the desire to live pleasing in God's sight and takes away the desire to rebel. Les compares the believer's transformation to a cocoon turning into a butterfly: the believer is changed by the Spirit, not by self-effort. He also points out that every believer in this age of grace is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will also make alive the believer's mortal body.
Les Feldick teaches that the Holy Spirit begins His work within the human heart by convicting the person that he or she is a sinner. The Spirit makes the individual aware that he is a son of Adam with a sin-bent personality, and that the gospel is the only remedy. This conviction is the first step of faith, agreeing with Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Les Feldick explains that the Holy Spirit becomes the believer's law. This does not mean a list of external commands; rather, the Spirit is a warm, loving, indwelling presence who gives the believer the desire to live pleasing in God's sight. The Spirit's influence and power replace the cold, condemning stone of the Law, and He takes away the desire to be rebellious, obnoxious, and wicked.
Les describes the believer as transformed, just as a cocoon becomes a butterfly. The Holy Spirit makes a person a whole new person, born into the family of God. This transformation is not the result of works; the Spirit Himself accomplishes the change. Additionally, Romans 8:11 promises that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will also quicken the believer's mortal body, completing the work of redemption.
Why Paul Said "We Know Christ No More" — 2 Corinthians 5:16
They're one and the same. And it blew his mind. It blew him blind. That's what it amounted to. He ended up blind, see? And so they had to lead him by the hand into Damascus. But oh, once Saul of Tarsus saw who Jesus really was, he became that unstoppable dynamo that carried Christianity to the Gentiles. Oh, he had his times of discouragement. We saw that a few weeks ago.
Indwelling Spirit Makes a New Person
Les teaches that if the Spirit of God dwells in you, you are in the Spirit and have been born into the family of God. This indwelling is the proof that you belong to Christ and are a new person.
The Spirit Becomes the Believer's Law
Les explains that the Holy Spirit replaces the cold Law as the believer's internal guide. Instead of rules and regulations, the Spirit gives influence, power, and the desire to please God.
The Spirit Convicts on the Basis of Our Nature
Les shows that the Holy Spirit convicts people by the Law because their root problem is not just their actions but their sin-bent nature as sons of Adam.
Transformation Is a Metamorphosis
Les compares the believer's transformation to a cocoon becoming a butterfly. He stresses that this change does not come by works but by the Spirit's work within.
The Spirit Convicts and Quickens
Les highlights Romans 8:11, teaching that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will also make alive the believer's mortal body. He also explains that the Spirit convicts us of sin and points us to the gospel as the only remedy.
The Believer Is the Temple of the Holy Spirit
Les teaches that every believer in this age of grace is the temple of the Holy Spirit, a work that was not true of Old Testament believers in the same way.
The Spirit's First Work Is Conviction
Les teaches that the Holy Spirit begins His work in the heart of a human being by making him aware that he is a sinner, according to Romans 3:23. This is the first step of faith.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
This verse establishes the universal need for the Spirit's convicting work—all people are sinners and need transformation.
Romans 8:9: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
This verse shows that the Holy Spirit's indwelling is the defining mark of a believer's new life in Christ.
Romans 8:11: But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
This verse promises that the Holy Spirit's transforming work extends even to the believer's mortal body.
Romans 12:2: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
This verse is the biblical command for the believer's transformation, which the Holy Spirit works through the renewing of the mind.
Les Feldick explains that the Holy Spirit convinces us that we are sinners. As Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." This is the first step of faith—recognizing that God's assessment of us is true and that the gospel is the only remedy.
Yes. Les teaches that the Holy Spirit becomes the believer's law and guideline, not as a set of rules but as His influence and power. The Spirit gives the desire to live pleasing to God and takes away the desire to be rebellious.
No. Les compares self-effort to washing a dead car battery with soapy water. Transformation is the Spirit's work, like a cocoon being changed into a butterfly. The believer is changed by the Spirit, not by works.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Said "We Know Christ No More" — 2 Corinthians 5:16